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Not Going to Say I Couldn’t Do It

Just saying I probably wouldn’t.

Yeah, I know. We’ve seen this before. Still don’t quite believe it.

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35 comments to Not Going to Say I Couldn’t Do It

  • LT SuperBad USN (Ret.)

    This seems like an irresponsible activity to do with an airplane, if I am understanding what I think I see in this video.

  • John

    YOWSERS!

    The formation flying in the second half was pretty good, but taking the flight thru the swamps for grins and giggles gotta be really STUPID! (Unless that is merely a couple of inches on a hard surface). Dip the wheels a bit too wet and there can be all sorts of excitement. Not sure the corrosion control people back home are all that happy with giving them a wash job this way.

    Something about an old, bold, pilot shortage comes to mind.

  • RonF

    All those comments you’ve made about “you can’t break the low altitude flying record, you can only tie it”? Looks like these guys are breaking it by a few inches.

  • claudio

    just wondering how much travel required between the wheels spinning happily and them digging in preceeding the nose dig. can’t imagine that it’s much more than 3-4 inches. or the size of a good ripple in the surface.

    theres many a things that we “could do” but “won’t”. Sometimes it takes more balls to NOT do something than to do it. On the other hand, the older I get, the more I seem to tell myself that “I could do that, but I won’t”. I could atribute that to the fact that I’m older, wiser, have a 5 year old, etc etc, etc. But to be truthful, it’s because it would hurt too much for too long. and don’t heal as fast. And it really hurts….

  • sid

    So…do you need a seaplane rating to join this team?

  • steveH

    They are a South African acro team, “The Flying Lions”. Their routine was approved by the SA CAA, worked up for a segment of the “Aviation Action” program on Supersport.

    Just watching would be more than sufficient, thanks.

  • olga

    despite all the ‘irresponsible’ comments, this is just awesome flying here…

  • Kevin

    The aviation equivalent of barefoot skiing. I know the latter usually ends up badly…..

  • Grumpy

    In the context of this question / issue, what separates the two terms, “could” and “would”? To me, the answer is another question, “What if?”

    @Claudio, you must have been a diplomat, I’ll say the same things, but in “everyday english.” You speak of a very important issue to every male human being, the brain vs brass balls issue. It’s always more desirable to have more brain than balls. It is the brain’s job to protect the balls, in more refined circles, they call this “wisdom.” But, what if the reverse is true? You are saying you have more balls (Note: No more than standard issue of 2.) than brain. Since we tend to lead with our strength, you are saying you are leading with your balls. There is no easy way to say this, I see your future full of pain. OUCH!

    To our warriors, if you have the right “Brain vs. Balls ratio”, you’ll fight much more effectively. This is something, all of you understand, not just in theory, but in practice. Good Luck!

    Everybody HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

  • OldT6Pilot

    I was amazed when I saw this the first time. Having flown a T-6 it still blows me away.

    I suspect that the margin of error is greater than it looks as the oleo gear on a T6 extends down a good 6 inches or so and perhaps you have that much vertical distance to play with. Still…

    I can’t imagine having the stones to be the first one to try this and I have to also assume that whoever was flying didn’t pay for the airplane.

    Incredible flying but risk/reward way off the charts for me.

  • Bill C

    This is f ing stupid, pure and simple. It is not great flying.

  • G-man

    Guess these guys proves my primary flight instructor wrong – his words were “the only spectacular thing you can do within one wing span of the ground is crash!”

    I’d recommend they not try this in our gator infested waters.

  • Check out this video (start watching at about 7min in). Talk about hydroplaning…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P992l3TWRg

  • So would this be the equivalent of *walking* on water? 8)

  • Byron

    G-man, don’t forget the cottonmouths and snapping turtles!

  • OldT6Pilot

    Again I simply can’t imagine. This is like touching down at crusing speed in a wheel landing and then fast taxiing across the water. Unreal.

    Bill C – I have to disagree – this is great flying – takes a great stick but not smart flying. Sorta like the guy who flew the airplane through the barn for the movies. Great flying but very stupid IMHO.

  • Humble1310

    I’ve always wondered if anyone’s actually done this.
    I bet the learning curve is really steep, but I’m impressed.

  • Attempting this solo would be bad enough but formation skimming? Not for me! Anyone notice the duck fly through the vid? Birdstrike while flying form while skimming – enormous cluster potential.

  • Some do it without throttles and no corrosion issues after wards… for FUN! Some do it well, others….not so much.

  • AW1 Tim

    Man,

    I cannot imagine how much the liability insurance is for these guys. That is, if they could even GET insurance.

    What I see in that video is not great flying, but a bunch of nimrods endangering not only themselves, but some very nice airframes. As someone who can’t afford to rent a plane these days, it really p!sses me off to see such numbskull stunts.

    Frankly, I could care less if they kill themselves. What I care about is the loss of some darned nice Texans.

  • Leave it to AW1 to boil it right down to the real issue! :) or his twin in thought, Byron.

  • virgil xenophon

    The Flying Lions? Hearts of Lions, maybe,
    but brains of?

  • virgil xenophon

    PS: Just don’t get the hiccups.

  • Speaking of I don’t think I’d do this…found this at LGF: Trimming trees around power lines. Trust me, it fits in here…not to mention it’s a blog on stuff in the air.

  • virgil xenophon

    Hey, xformed, that thing really works as advertised, doesn’t it? Does it work on toenails as well?

  • geo6

    Hey AW1Tim,

    Methinks you need another cup of joe this morning. :)
    As for the water skimming, I don’t even want to try it on lake ice…

    geo6

  • VX (or other unnumbered personality): Dunno. Got a willing guinea pig and money for a ticket to Ft Smith, AK?

  • AW1 Tim

    geo6,

    had some more strong black joe. All better now, thanks :)

  • Bruce Jones

    Or sneeze . . .

  • Wilko

    Batwing flying is safer.
    Rating: Brass balls = five; Brains approaching zero.
    Ratio: Grumpy@9 : not worth measuring.

  • Quartermaster

    AEP used an identical rig in Ohio. They parked it a Morgan County Regional Airport and I got to take an upclose and personal look at one of the Airport Authority meetings. A rather impressive piece of machinery.

  • Surfcaster

    “Check out this video (start watching at about 7min in). Talk about hydroplaning…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P992l3TWRg

    Probably hydro-locked some engines as well, when not dying in a self-extinguishing fireball

    Nuts

  • Wilko

    If you dip the wheels in too far it will look like this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pucmWr55cgw

  • Dakota – DC3 on floats at ‘floater fly-in’ 1980s:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ6zTZuq5zw&e

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